Kick-start your climate action project
Published on 30 September 2024
This October applications are once again open for Whanganui District Council’s Community Climate Action Fund, offering a chance for local residents to bring their climate action ideas to life.
The council’s climate change advisor, Caroline Arrowsmith, says, “Climate change is no longer a distant reality – it’s here, affecting our world daily. This fund supports local people to get moving with not-for-profit climate projects that will benefit our community.”
The Community Climate Action Fund provides seed funding for projects based in the Whanganui district that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or grow the community’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The total amount available this year is $50,000 and groups or individuals can put in an application for one project per year, up to a maximum of $20,000. Successful applicants need to submit a report detailing the outcomes of their project within a year of receiving funding.
“This fund has supported a diverse range of interesting projects in past years,” Caroline Arrowsmith says. “Last year’s projects included support for Tarapuruhi Bushy Park, investigating the viability of lowering carbon emissions for Whanganui’s historic riverboat the paddle steamer Waimarie, and supporting climate change science kits for local schools, to name just a few.”
Projects could relate to one of these areas: active transport; efficient use of resources like energy and water; renewable energy; regenerative food and forest farming systems; sequestering carbon through forest or wetland restoration; or helping people to prepare for or respond to climate change.
Applications will go to the council’s climate change fund advisory panel for evaluation in November. The selection criteria is listed on the application guide and applicants can attend the panel and ask questions, ensuring that the process is open and inclusive.
“We’re really excited to hear about the creative ideas people come up with this year,” Caroline Arrowsmith says.
“I’d really encourage people to make the most of this opportunity to kick-start a satisfying project that will make a difference to our local community.”
Applications close on Thursday, 31 October 2024. To find out more, visit the Whanganui District Council website: www.whanganui.govt.nz/climate-fund